Brownback could be a presidential contender

Posted: Monday, May 02, 2005

By By Gregory L. SchneiderSpecial to The Capital-Journal

Social conservatives haven't fared well in presidential primaries. Gary Bauer, Alan Keyes and Pat Robertson all failed to advance their agendas very far in recent primaries. Typically, such candidates focused only on social issues, like abortion. They lacked experience in governing, and lacked strong organizations to carry them forward.

The 2004 election may have changed social conservative fortunes. The numbers of Christians and traditional Catholics who voted on social issues in the last election was quite high (crucial, it seems, in states like Ohio). A candidate who can combine social concerns with governing experience may prove a powerful candidate in 2008.

Is that candidate our own U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback? He has gained national attention recently and seems to be in all the right places (like Iowa and New Hampshire) "exploring the options" of a potential presidential run, according to Tim Carpenter's recent article in The Capital-Journal.

Gregory L. Schneider

Why could Brownback be different from other social conservatives who have run for the White House? Mostly, it has to do with Brownback's record in the House and Senate.

He is a strong supporter of military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, features that place him in the center of his party. He gained extended foreign policy experience through his service on the Foreign Relations Committee, particularly in regard to Asia and the Middle East, two areas of vital concern for American national interests. He is the leading spokesman for human rights in the Senate. He has condemned the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and urged action against its perpetrators.

He is also a committed supporter of the conservative economic agenda. He favors continued tax cuts. On the campaign trail last fall he highlighted tax reform and Social Security as pressing issues. He also favored gaining control over government spending, a priority Bush and Congress finally seem to be focusing on. He is in the mainstream of Republican voters on both foreign and domestic policy.

What separates Brownback from past social conservatives is his growing grassroots base of supporters throughout the nation. Many of these supporters are tied to churches, but Brownback has the support of a variety of conservative organizations, as well. His easy path to re-election last fall allowed him time to campaign for Bush in key battleground states, like Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. The connections he made with local party officials (and churches) may prove important in any presidential primary he decides to enter.

He has been avuncular in his support for what Pope John Paul II called a "culture of life." He has put forth his message optimistically and without derision for those who object to it ("speak the truth in love" is a motto he returns to frequently).

He believes that conservatives are winning the culture war, an optimism rarely expressed by like-minded partisans. His easy manner, his effectiveness in advocating such causes and his ability to do so without rancor will give him tremendous appeal to primary voters.

Should Sam Brownback eventually decide to throw his hat in the ring, there is no doubt he will have a difficult row to hoe. He may face a party in 2008 where social issues have taken second fiddle to issues like immigration. Or, the country may face a changed international situation.

Brownback, who supports legal immigration, may have to convince his party that restrictions on immigration are detrimental to America's future. It may be a tough sell, as California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent comments about the issue reveal.

Yet Brownback may be the person to sell it. A committed social conservative, Brownback has also been a committed movement conservative and a loyal Republican. Historically, running from the Senate has been a difficult proposition. Only John Kennedy and Warren Harding were senators when they won the presidency. But Brownback's grassroots support may take him farther than any previous social conservative -- perhaps all the way to that big white house on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Gregory L. Schneider is an associate professor of history at Emporia State University. He lives in Topeka. He may be reached at Schneidg@emporia.edu.